It’s no surprise that some folks are feeling the urge to pack their bags and leave the country through unconventional means. Everything seems a bit topsy-turvy, to say the least. But wait, there’s more to the madness.
In a bizarre turn of events, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party for the November 11 poll in Imo state, Attan Achonu, had quite the encounter on this fine Sunday. He accused the state police of launching an attack on him and his entourage, all because he wanted to attend a church service in Owerri North Local Government Area.
Achonu, in a press briefing in Owerri, claimed that he was innocently heading to St. Peters Anglican Church to attend a church synod, having received a proper invitation. But lo and behold, the police and some suspicious-looking characters allegedly descended upon him, stopping him and his convoy from setting foot in the holy place.
Their reason? They claimed that the incumbent state governor, Hope Uzodimma, who’s also the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, was inside the church. Now, when did a church turn into a campaign battleground? And why does Governor Uzodimma seem to think he’s the gatekeeper of the divine, deciding who can and can’t enter? It’s enough to make your head spin, right?
Achonu, understandably miffed, dared to challenge the police, asking why he should be barred from worshipping in his own state just because the governor was in attendance. But instead of a peaceful theological debate, chaos ensued. The police and their companions attacked Achonu’s convoy and even took shots at his vehicles. It’s like a recurring nightmare where thugs and politicians merge into one entity.
Achonu lamented, “Today I was attacked by policemen together with thugs working for the APC. Myself and my supporters were attacked and gunshots were fired at us. We were at St. Peter’s Anglican church at Obibiezena in Owerri North to attend a church service. I was duly invited by the church to attend its synod but policemen stationed Amoured Personnel Carriers and thugs. They said I was not going to be allowed to enter the church. That the governor was worshipping there.”
As the story goes, he tried to make some calls to higher-ups, but even that didn’t stop the madness. It’s a tale of chaos in the name of worship, and it makes you wonder about the state of politics in the country.
However, in a curious twist, the police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, denied that Achonu was attacked. According to him, the police merely advised him not to campaign in the same area where the APC candidate was doing his thing, all in the name of avoiding a potential clash of interests and, quite possibly, a showdown.
Okoye stated, “Nobody attacked the Labour Party candidate. We only advised him not to campaign in the area the same time the APC candidate was campaigning in the area to avoid a clash of interest and possible breakdown of law and order in the state.”
Not to be outdone, the APC spokesperson in the state, Cajetan Duke, claimed that the LP candidate was simply trying to pull the wool over the public’s eyes because he realized the APC was set to dominate the upcoming poll. The APC, it seems, is undeterred by opposition antics and intends to campaign vigorously until the last permissible day, as approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
So there you have it, a peculiar mix of politics, religion, and the unexplainable. Stay tuned for the next episode in the ongoing Nigerian political drama. It seems like the stage is set for more eyebrow-raising moments in the days to come.
